 | ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids. |
 | OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age. |
 | NOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age. |
Glass
- By Ellen Hopkins
- Genre: Coming of Age
Common Sense Media says
Intense poems of meth addiction; read with teens.
Parents say
QUALITY
Kids say
QUALITY
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that this book is about a girl's drug addiction: Not only does Kristina use meth constantly, but eventually she also deals it for the Mexican Mafia. There are some fairly graphic depictions of sex, including a first orgasm and having sex with more than one partner. Kristina's drug use gets her kicked out of the house; eventually she loses custody of her young son and begins committing crimes to support her habit (even robbing her mother). By the end of the book, Kristina is pregnant again.
What's the story?
This is a sequel to Hopkins' popular Crank, a book she based on her daughter's battle with the drug. This installment is also told through spare verse, and it also centers on Kristina. At the beginning of the book, Kristina gets back into methamphetamine -- smoking a higher grade called Glass -- and quickly loses control, starting a new dangerous downward spiral. This time around things are much darker for Kristina. She is kicked out of her home, loses custody of her infant son, and eventually begins committing crimes with her addict boyfriend in order to support their habits.
Is it any good?
In GLASS, a sequel to the celebrated Crank, Hopkins has added more than 600 pages to Kristina's story of a good girl gone bad with meth addiction. While young readers may be drawn in by the titillating material -- Drugs! Sex! Teen pregnancy! Poetry!-- Hopkins really does have a remarkable gift for conveying lots of story, character, and emotion through her simple lines. Readers will find themselves caring for Kristina and her family, even though they know she is doomed.
Hopkins' daughter is a recovering meth addict and this book is based on her experiences -- another fact that may draw teen fans. Of course, careful readers will understand that Hopkins is making a point about addictions: It doesn't end when the book does.
What families can talk about
Families can talk about the popularity of the series. If your kids read her first book, Crank, they can compare and contrast the two -- did they learn anything new about Kristina, her family, or drug abuse?
Hopkins' books are controversial -- and often challenged. Should teens be allowed to read whatever they want? If not, who should decide what's appropriate?
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AGE
Good book for teens and adults
It's definitely a good book, and a good conversation starter. It helps teens to look at the real consequences of substance abuse and allows for them to talk to their parents about it as well. I would recommend that if a teen is going to read this book (or any other by Ellen Hopkins) that the parents should as well, to allow for a discussion between parent and teen about the major themes of the book.
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AGE
I loved this book series don't think it for children under sixteen I my self was blown away and I have seen some stuff in my life. This book has a message I hope gets to anyone even thinking about drug use.
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AGE
good for teens it can get the message about drugs and sex acrossed
I think the book is good but it is horrible how she abandons a kid and then is pregnant by the end . It is bab because she is a drug addict .
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AGE
Must read for teenagers but not for younger children.
I read the book and i thought it was a good and a real life story that people can relate too. It does describe bad events through out the story but it shows how a young teenage mother tries to do better for not only herself but her son too. She does struggle and lets the bad stuff get the best of her but at the beginning she seemed well commited with trying to do better. It may sound easy to get better after being addicted to a drug but its harder and more complicated then what it seems. We had to understand that in this certain situtation... but it is a very good book!
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AGE
Not a bad decision,
i think this book is great. it helps us realize that drugs might make you feel good but that there also very bad. im 14, and i read this book in 8th grade. and yes i tried pot before, and i have realized that after reading this that i've made a mistake. i mean i dont encourge anyone to read if, but if you would like to see what drugs do to you then read it. think about what your doing. this book was not made to convince young readers to do drugs, it was made to describe what they do to you, and how it effects young teens live's. i hope by reading this that many parents wont be so negative, and buy this book and let your teens read it. let them see how scary it is too do this, maybe by reading it they will make better decisions.
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AGE
I love this book, It really made me understand more about drugs and what it does. When my kid becomes a teenager i don't want him to being doing drugs. So i think this book really helps you understand about drugs and what will help you understand about it. I think its a great book for teenagers to read so they know what will happen in your life, If you start to do drugs, Because i don't think us parents will want to tell our kids if we ever did drugs. When i was a teenager i would loved to read this book to help me understand the real thing about drugs so I never did them. It was a horrible life when i got into drugs I'm just happy that I'm 17 and got out of doing drugs and that my baby is having a great life with his mommy.
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AGE
it can get heavy and very intense. know what they can handle
it shows exactly why people shouldn't do drugs. the monster sends the main character to the equivalent of hell with no control of anything. certainly the bad side of seemingly glamorous drugs. after reading this, any thought in my mind of doing drugs is completely vanished. all this is coming from a teenager with a lot of opportunities to throw away everything and just party.
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AGE
perfect for teens not not for adults
i love you should make a movie about that would be awsome people would buy the movies
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AGE
GREAT FOR ANY OF MY FELLOW ANTICENSORSHIP FOLK
first off read Crank first as this is a sequel to it . next thing is to understand that this book is a first person perspective about crystal meth addiction and inculdes several sexual incoutners which leads to teen pregnancy number 2 for main character Kristina/Bree .
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AGE
i read this book when i was 12 and was able to handle it perfectly. If you have a mature tween, it's appropriate.
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| Author: | Ellen Hopkins |
| Book type: | Fiction |
| Genre: | Coming of Age |
| Publisher: | Simon & Schuster |
| Publication date: | August 21, 2007 |
| Number of pages: | 688 |
| Hardcover price: | $16.99 |
| Publisher's recommended age(s): | 14 - 14 |
| Read aloud: | 15 |
| Read alone: | 15 |
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